New Delhi,Three-time Paralympic medalist javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia, former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, former-world champion boxer L Sarita Devi and former rifle shooter Anjali Bhagwat have been named in the selection panel for this year’s National Sports Awards.
Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Mukundakum Sharma has been picked as the chairperson of the panel.
According to the sports ministry circular, the committee also includes former women’s cricket team hockey coach Baldev Singh, Sports Authority of India Director General Sandip Pradhan, and senior journalists Vijay Lokapally and Vikrant Gupta. captain Anjum Chopra
The committee will be meeting in the next few days to decide the winners.
The National Sports Awards, which includes Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and the Dhyan Chand Award, are conferred by the President on the National Sports Day on August 29.
However, this year’s awards were delayed from its traditional date after the government decided to wait for India’s performance at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The country produced historic results in both the events with an unprecedented seven medals in the Olympics being followed by a record haul of 19 at the Paralympics.
The highest sporting honour is the Khel Ratna award, which was rechristened from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna this year, followed by the Arjuna award. The Khel Ratna carries a prize money of Rs 25 lakh, while the Arjuna comes with a prize money of Rs 15 lakh.
Coaches are given the Dronacharya award while the other honours also include the Lifetime Achievement award, the Rahstriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, and the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy for the year 2021.